1. Technical Field
Embodiments of this disclosure relate to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses are used as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, plotters, or multi-functional devices having at least one of the foregoing capabilities. As one type of image forming apparatus employing a liquid-ejection recording method, inkjet recording apparatuses are known that use a recording head (liquid ejection head or liquid-droplet ejection head) for ejecting droplets of ink or other liquid.
For example, a liquid-ejection type image forming apparatus has an ejection detector to detect a state of droplet ejection from a recording head. When faulty droplet ejection is detected on a nozzle(s), the image forming apparatus performs maintenance and recovery operation (maintenance operation) on the recording head, such as cleaning of a nozzle face.
For example, an ejection detector detects ejection or non-ejection by measuring an electric change when liquid droplets ejected from a recording head land on an electrode plate (see JP-2007-050533-A).
In addition, JP-2004-306475-A proposes to clean such an electrode plate by a wiping member to wipe the plate in the same direction as a moving direction of a carriage.
For the above-described configuration in which detection or non-detection is detected based on an electric change generated by liquid droplets ejected onto an electrode plate, liquid droplets adhere to the electrode plate in the detection of droplet ejection. Such liquid droplets ejected from nozzles of the recording head in the detection of droplet ejection are a minute amount of droplets.
Thus, as described in JP-2004-306475-A, even when a wiping member wipes the electrode plate in the same direction as the moving direction of the carriage, that is, in a direction perpendicular to a nozzle array direction in which nozzles are arrayed in the recording head, droplets may not be collected on the wiping member, thus adhering the wiping member as separate droplets.
As a result, waste liquid adhering to the wiping member may solidify, thus reducing the wiping performance of the wiping member and hampering cleaning of the electrode plate and accurate ejection detection.